Physical performance and physical activity of children with corrected congenital heart defects

Background: despite the great contribution of physical activity (PA) to the health of children after correction of congenital heart defects (CHD), in the literature there are only isolated data on PA and the performance of children after correction of congenital heart defects. Objective: to assess physical activity and physical performance in children after radical intervention for congenital heart disease. Material and methods. The study included 32 children after radical correction of congenital heart disease. In addition to standard research methods, all patients underwent a cardiopulmonary stress test (CPST), as well as a structured interview on physical activity. Results. According to the survey, 81 % of children did not achieve the recommended 60 minutes of daily PA. Only 44 % of children attended sports clubs or sections. The amount of sedentary time in children was 8.4 hours a day, while the duration of entertainment “screen time” was 3 hours. A separate analysis of physical performance was carried out in subgroups formed depending on physical training (PT) activities. In children who regularly engaged in PT, the threshold load power and heart rate at the height of physical activity were higher compared to children who did not engage in PT. In addition, they had higher VO_2peak and lower ventilator CO₂ equivalent (VE/VCO₂). Conclusion. Children with corrected congenital heart disease, without contraindications to physical education and sports, mostly lead a sedentary lifestyle and have insufficient physical activity and performance. However, regular physical training after radical correction of congenital heart disease significantly increases the performance of children due to an adequate increase in cardiac output and minute ventilation during physical activity.

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